


Beginning of Something Else

by Maverick



Category: due South
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:41:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29265189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick
Summary: When Fraser turned in his retirement papers and plans got underway for a celebration, all Fraser had wanted was Ray by his side and Ray Vecchio across the table.  So Ray had made it happen.  Fraser hardly ever asked for anything, so when he did, Ray made sure he got it. All in all, a weekend with Vecchio wasn’t that big of a deal.
Relationships: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Comments: 14
Kudos: 17
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Beginning of Something Else

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wicked3659](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wicked3659/gifts).



> Title from a Mr. Rogers quote: _“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else._ ” 
> 
> wicked3659, thanks so much for the opportunity to visit these old friends. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Many thanks to my beta, Pollitt, who also has the distinction of introducing me to due South more than 20 years ago. 
> 
> This story was inspired by this [Interview](https://etcanada.com/news/25156/due-south-stars-paul-gross-and-callum-keith-rennie-talk-possible-reunion-movie/) where the possibility of a reunion movie was floated around.

Ray Kowalski was the first to admit that life was messy like a Jackson Pollack painting, sometimes splashed with irony and insanity. But those swirls of color just made it all the more worth living. Especially with a partner like Fraser. 

They’d literally ridden off into the sunrise together. Of course, they hadn’t known that at the time. It had taken an aborted, gut-wrenching goodbye at the end of their adventure to make them realize they were better together. They would always be better together. Those weren’t wedding vows, not yet. Those would come in 2005 when Fraser asked him to be his partner for life. It had been the easiest decision he’d ever made. And the weight of Fraser’s ring on his finger settled him in a way that was missing from his first marriage. And seeing his ring on Fraser’s finger was a steadfast reminder that Fraser had chosen to be his. There would be no one left behind. 

And as much as it used to bother him, with Fraser came Vecchio. They’d come to an uneasy peace a couple of decades ago, but even after all that time it was awkward when Fraser or Stella wasn't around to babysit. Today, Fraser was busy showing his replacement the ropes. And that thought made Ray laugh because knowing Fraser, there would be _actual_ ropes reviewed. So it fell to him to pick Vecchio up from the airport. 

When Fraser turned in his retirement papers and plans got underway for a celebration, all Fraser had wanted was Ray by his side and Ray Vecchio across the table. So Ray had made it happen. Fraser hardly ever asked for anything, so when he did, Ray made sure he got it. All in all, a weekend with Vecchio wasn’t that big of a deal. 

Not that he would ever admit it out loud. He did resist the urge to stand in baggage with a sign that said _style pig_ \-- but just barely. Maybe with age does come wisdom, but petty is eternal. In the end, he greeted Vecchio with a simple handwave and an almost sincere smile. Fraser would be happy to see his friend, and Ray lived to see the crinkles that feathered out around Fraser’s eyes when he smiled. 

While Vecchio waited for his luggage, Ray texted Fraser that the eagle had landed. It’d been more than five years since they'd all seen each other in person. That year he and Fraser had taken a trip to Florida in the middle of a brutal winter and it had been just what he had needed. 

Today, Vecchio had less hair and it was splattered with more salt than pepper, but, all in all, he looked good. It was hard to believe it had been over 20 years since their lives had collided. Back then Ray had taken the job to become Vecchio as a way to not face the prospect of a life without Stella. But it ended giving him so much more. He was pretending to be Vecchio but ultimately, he found himself. And he could admit he liked the Ray Kowalski he found at the end of it. And he loved the life he’d built with Fraser. 

The drive from the airport was filled with small talk. Life in Florida, Stella’s non-profit, Franny’s multitude of kids. It wasn’t as awkward as it could have been. It felt like they were both settled into their roles. The jealousy he’d felt when Vecchio had returned all those years ago was long gone. They were both secure in their lives. Funny how time and the love of a good person could do that. 

When they made it home, Vecchio grabbed his luggage and followed Ray to the front door. Their modern cabin sat on the edge of the forest with a wrap-around porch and solar panels to generate electricity in those long days of summer. Vecchio let out a whistle. “Wow, this is quite the upgrade from his dad’s cabin.”

Ray laughed. “Don’t I know it. It took a few years, but I convinced him there’s nothing wrong with a decent heating system and indoor plumbing.”

They shared a look. It was a look that only someone who really knew Fraser would understand. “How’d you manage that?” Vecchio asked. 

Ray smirked and leveled Vecchio with a wink. “I think my perpetually ice-cold feet had something to do with it.”

Vecchio shuddered. “More info than I want to know, Kowalski.”

Ray laughed. “All I did was mention my poor circulation, don’t blame me for your gutter thoughts.” 

Vecchio tipped his head. He could acknowledge that he threaded that needle himself. “Touché” 

He looked around at the craftsmanship of the place as he set his suitcase down on the porch. “This isn’t RCMP-provided is it?”

Ray shook his head. “God no. Those places sometimes make Bob’s old cabin look like a five-star hotel. We bought this place when he got the promotion to Inspector and was asked to head up the detachment here in Whitehorse. When we came out to tour the town, we decided this would be a great place to retire. Wilderness for him and decent pizza for me and the wolves.” Ray opened up the front door and they almost ended up getting bowled over by the rush of a very excited dog.

“Speaking of, this maniac here is Gretsky.”

Vecchio held out his hand for the dog to sniff. The dog circled him like he had missed him even though they had never met. He bent down to pet him. ”He looks like Dief,” Vecchio said. 

“Yeah, Dief was a _dog_ if you know what I mean,” Ray said with another wink. “His bloodline runs through all three of our pups.” 

“Three? That’s a lot of dogs.” 

“Just enough,” Ray laughed. “You’ve now met Gretsky. Trudeau’s with Fraser at work and Celine Dion has mushing practice three times a week. She’ll be back momentarily.”

It took Vecchio a minute to process that information. “Wait, you named your dog after the current Prime Minister?” 

“Nope, his dad Pierre. We had to expand our criteria to all great Canadians because there’s only so many Prime Ministers that Fraser actually approves of. Although, I think we might have gotten the names wrong.” 

Gretzky finally settled and Ray ushered Vecchio into the living room where he took a seat on the couch. Vecchio continued to stand. “What do you mean?”

Ray leaned forward and rubbed the dog’s belly. “Well, Gretzky here is a grade-A klutz. Super happy and loving, but will trip over his own feet at least once a day. Tru is super smart and a good tracker, but if given the choice he’d spend his day howling just to howl. And my Celly… she’s a total bruiser. She’s the alpha for sure. Nothing elegant about her.”

“And therefore your favorite,’ Vecchio said with a knowing look. 

“I love ‘em all, but she does own a special piece of my heart.”

Vecchio took in the room, his eyes settling on a picture on the mantle. It was a shot of Fraser in the _red_ suit at some sort of ceremony.

Ray saw where Vecchio was looking. “That’s from his promotion to Inspector. The superintendent’s wife took it and sent it to me.”

Vecchio smiled. “I still can’t get over the silver hair. In my mind, Fraser’s a blur in motion with dark hair.”

Ray let out a laugh. “You’re telling me. I went to bed with a brunet, woke up to a silver fox.”

Vecchio’s eyes got big. “Overnight?”

“Yep.” Ray nodded. “Apparently the same thing happened to Buck Frobisher.”

“Not his dad?”

“No. Bob’s hair went gray slowly like normal people.” Ray gestured between himself and Vecchio as if to say, _like we did_. “It freaked me out a little at first, but it works for him. Still turns my crank for sure,” Ray said with a smirk. 

Vecchio shook his head. “There you go again, Kowalski. Can we try to make it through the rest of the weekend without me having to think about you and Benny in bed?”

“No promises,” Ray said with a wink. He smiled wide and stood up at a noise from the back of the house. “And that would be Celly coming in the back door.” 

Vecchio stared at him. “Your dog lets herself into the house?”

Ray laughed. “She’s coming in through the doggie door. Amanda, the champion musher who trains her, drops her off out back and she heads into the house. And there she is,” Ray said, getting down on the floor to greet the dog. “Who’s a good girl Celly? Did you pull the sled? Did you?” 

“She looks more wolf than dog,” Vecchio said as Celine finally fixed him with her blue eyes. He held out his hand again for her to sniff. Gretzky did indeed trip over himself to come greet his sister. Vecchio offered his hand to pull Ray up off the floor as he extracted himself from the puppy pile. “You really like it up here?”

Ray nodded his head. “Well the lack of daylight during the winter can be brutal, but Fraser loves it and I love Fraser.”

Vecchio smiled. Ray didn't need to be a detective to know that look held some sort of secret.

“What are you smiling at Vecchio?,” Ray asked.

He met Ray’s eyes. “Our spouses.” 

Ray nodded his head. “It’s weird innit? I think I needed Stella and our break up to prepare me for Fraser, and I think you needed him to help you be worthy of Stella.”

Vecchio placed his hand on Ray’s shoulder and squeezed. “That’s probably true. What I don’t understand is how two trainwrecks like us ended up with _them_?”

They looked at each other and both cracked up. Vecchio threw his arm across Ray’s shoulder. “They clearly must have done something wrong in a previous life.”

“Or maybe we did something right,” Ray said as Celly and Gretzky circled at their feet, clearly wanting in on the celebration. 

That’s where and how Fraser found them moments later. 

They both looked over at Fraser like they’d been caught doing something untoward. The wide smile on Fraser’s face that could rival the sun stopped those uneasy feelings in their tracks. He was clearly overjoyed by this turn of events. “I knew you two would be friends.” 

Both Rays smiled and nodded to Fraser but it was Vecchio who answered. “Only took 20 years, but when you’re right Benny, you’re right.” 

Life was strange. When he woke up that morning, Ray hadn’t expected that he’d count Vecchio as his friend by the end of it. But like all things, Fraser’s retirement wasn’t just an ending of an era, it was the start of something new.


End file.
